Regional Director Melissa Hemphill

https://www.facebook.com/LoganGelbrich/videos/10101412531921746/
You know those events or moments in life where you just need a good nights sleep (or 2) to really digest and assimilate everything that happened? The first-ever, BIRTHFIT Coach Seminar was one of those events. For the entire last week, I've been reflecting on "what the heck just happened, how did this happen, and how do we do this again?" Being part of the seminar staff was such a gift. I was privileged to witness the long hours of behind-the-scenes prep, the beautiful, daily intention created by Dr. Lindsey Mathews, and the authenticity of the entire seminar (staff and participants alike).
Most people signed up so that they could expand their coaching tools for their pregnant and postpartum athletes. They definitely got that... developmental kinesiology and ontogenesis, physiological adaptations during pregnancy, appropriate movements to train for birth, and to rehabilitate postpartum. What they … [Read more...]

The human experience is quite a thing. We yearn to feel and yearn to escape feeling. We live from a place of needing to control but often find the best parts of our life were the uncontrollable surprises. We engage with others as separate and distinct entities but are repeatedly reminded of how completely interconnected we are.
In my experience, pregnancy has been a confronting examination of soul. And through the many hours of reflection this pregnancy, I’m starting to realize that this timing during is not a coincidence but a fantastically designed mechanism to share the human experience with a beautiful new soul.
I’d like to share a deeply personal testament to better illustrate this.
Ten months ago, I felt like nothing in my life was going right. Between the beginning of April and the end of May, I had lost a baby in miscarriage, lost my brother to suicide, and my husband had a devastating career change after a year and half of personal and family sacrifice. A month later, … [Read more...]

The domains of fitness and nutrition are heavily dominated by masculine energy. By masculine, I mean that we approach the body, it’s appearance, and it’s abilities in a very left-brain, direct, and scientific way. We distill the greater essence of what it means to be alive into bite-size materials and processes. We obsess over numbers: calories, macronutrient profiles, percent body fat, naked mass, run times, weightlifting totals, and cholesterol levels. First, let me say that there is absolutely NOTHING WRONG with masculine energy. It’s completely necessary for life and deserves to be honored. We experience negative, secondary effects (especially with women) when the masculine goes unbalanced by this enigmatic energy we call the feminine. By feminine, I mean right-brain, creative, emotional, unpredictable, pleasurable, and nourishing. When was the last time you heard these words associated with fitness and nutrition!?
Since we all are OF the masculine, feminine, and Divine (the … [Read more...]

I learned of this concept during the opening lessons of the Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training. As someone who was partially exposed to this fresh approach to nourishment and nutrition, one week of this training has already expanded my perspective on so many different levels. The idea of “chaos before creation,” however, touched my soul.
I have used the word “chaos” repeatedly to describe my life in the past few months. Between the still-unbelievable loss of my little brother, the miscarriage, having to find a new place to live, my husband’s absence for his intensely challenging training, a full-time Air Force job, and regular family activities, “chaos” occasionally felt like an understatement.
Many days, the heavy uncertainty associated with chaos felt suffocating. I felt powerless to make life hurt less for myself and for the people around me. These feelings catalyzed the search to regain control elsewhere. For me, “elsewhere” most often means my diet and … [Read more...]

Indulging in acts of self-care used to leave me feeling dirty and shameful. Commitments to my family, Air Force career, CrossFit gym, and community service rendered me non-present in my own life. Taking even more time for self care would inevitably worsen my situation, not help it, right? At my breaking point, I met Dr. Dawn Dalili and she changed my mind.
What is Self Love?
Self-love is extending the same patience, kindness, and significance toward yourself as you would a loved one. It comes from a place of inherent worth and, as parents, is a powerful behavior to model for our children. As I’m sure you are aware, expressing love has it’s nuances ;)
In his book, The 5 Love Languages, Dr. Gary Chapman explains that everyone has a love tank. Everything either adds to the love tank or takes away from it. Even love, dependent upon its form (hence the 5 languages), can tip the needle one way or the other. Resiliency lives in this tank. When the tank is full, stressful workdays … [Read more...]